Damned Lines
by RedStrawberryAi
Summary: Rated Mature for strong language and violence. Sometimes the will to live is the scariest thing of all.


**Standard disclaimer applies.**

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_Damned Lines_

_Inspired by Cradle of Filth - "Nymphetamine (Fix)"_

_Dedicated to all writers who actually give a damn._

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Exposed throats, then blood.

The creature, this utterly disgusting and disfigured _thing_ grabbed one of the ninja pinned to the wall, stuck a claw through the gut, lifted its prey's head with the other claw, and, its mouth opened impossibly wide, ripped out the throat.

Sakura watched in horror and morbid, twisted curiosity.

What was that_ thing_?

The voice in her head screamed that it didn't matter, nothing mattered right now except getting the rest of her team _out_ and _safe_.

Her team consisted of herself, Sasuke, Naruto, Lee, Ino, and four other shinobi she didn't know but could vaguely recognize trapped in of the dungeon.

She tugged again at the chakra chains that bound her to the floor, knowing that their situation was dire and desperate, that she didn't have time to look and see which of the kids she'd grown up with was being swallowed.

'_I have to get away and get my teammates, my comrades, my __friends__ to safety. Then I have to find Naruto and Sasuke. ...If one of them is hurt... I'll never forgive myself.'_

The chains that held Sakura were at least three inches thick. She'd learned on her first day here (That had been some time ago) in this dank, cold prison that the moment she pulled her binds taught, two needles inside the metal clamps on her arms pierced deep into her wrists.

It hurt like hell, but she had to try anyway. If she could get free, Sakura would have the element of surprise and the advantage of burning rage.

Yet the freezing temperature of the prison made her joints lock up, her body's internal systems slow, and made physical exertion even more of a challenge.

As she continued to strain against the needles and her own body that kept telling her to quit, Sakura heard a squelching sound and inwardly cringed.

'_Who's dying this time? Someone else I love?'_

She didn't have the courage to look at the carnage unfolding on her right and find out.

The chains wouldn't budge, but she kept pulling until yellow light fell upon her and she heard the squeak of a door hinge. Her head whipped around, hoping that _thing, _finished with its meal, was leaving the room, when she saw two gurneys being carted in.

The noticed the two figures tied to the table immediately, but after being in the dark for so long her eyesight had to adjust. She couldn't discern their features. Two more creatures, just like the _thing _that was eating them all alive, were pushing the carts closer and closer, stopping in front of Sakura and the unconscious Lee, who was chained beside her.

In the light that spilled from the doorway, she saw the bodies of Sasuke and Naruto lying on the gurneys.

Her teammates had been hauled away from this room at least a few days ago, and Sakura hadn't seen them since. She couldn't even be certain they were alive.

Neither of them moved.

She was unable to tell if they were breathing or not through tears of relief pooling in her eyes. At least they were still whole and seemingly un-eaten.

One of the two newest creatures lit a candle and bent over Naruto, scrutinizing him closely and looking for something. But she could only assume this was the case, because the _things_ didn't have eyes. Their heads were bone white with occasional gray spots and they had no eyes, nose, or ears. It seemed they may at one time have had eyes, but they were gone now, only sockets with skin grown over. The mouths were thin and long, stretching the span of their faces. Their teeth were broken and few, but sharp and jagged enough to pierce human flesh like biting into a tomato. The back of the creatures' heads were sunken in, as if bludgeoned with a bat.

Creature Two used the candle to examine Naruto's face first, then used its hand to knead the flesh of his cheeks and neck, his shoulders, his biceps, triceps, and sternum. It was checking for something, and didn't seem to find it because it moved on to Sasuke.

It searched the dark-haired boy for the same, but didn't discover what it wanted on him either. It turned its bulbous head on its unnaturally long neck toward Creature One, who stood with blood dribbling out of the corners of its mouth from its earlier snack.

Not a sound was made, but they somehow came to the same conclusion and glided out of the room, leaving the tables behind. Their fat, cone-shaped bodies silhouetted against the yellow light until the door slammed behind them.

Sakura looked back to Naruto and Sasuke's forms as the tears streaked down her face. She stretched against the chains, felt the needles jab into her wrist again as she reached forward. She couldn't touch either of them.

She whispered their names at first, then spoke louder and louder until she was screaming and was certain the _things_ could hear her. They didn't seem to care, as they didn't come back to rip out her throat.

She was left alone in the dark, with her potentially dead teammates just beyond her fingertips.

She cried.

**Sorry guys, something I had to write. I've been thinking about the creatures for a while and even had a nightmare about them, so I'm hoping that writing about them will be a remedy.**

**I'm still a little sore, seeing as I've only just picked up writing again.**

**I'd appreciate reviews, or even flames, as long you at least give me something to improve.** **Come on, help out the lonely little periwinkle button in the lefthand corner!**


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